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How To Play Jazz Piano?
If you are interested in learning how to play Jazz Piano then you should read this article. Specifically I am going to discuss why learning to play the piano is more about the piano player than the arrangement. As I say this it is more about you than the piece, so if you think you can arrange something well, then chances are that you could also learn how to play it. The same goes for Jazz Piano where it is more about you then the arrangement.
In this simple introduction to playing jazz piano I am not going to talk too much about theory as I want you to have a good foundation to start from. After this basic foundation you can move on to more advanced lessons where you will learn more about the theory and some of the simple chord melody structures which I will refer to. There are two types of chords in Jazz: major and minor. For our purposes in this lesson we will focus on the minor chords.
Is Jazz Piano Hard to Learn?
This is written for all the newbie jazz musicians out there who are looking to take their passion of playing this delightful genre of music to a whole new level. Jazz piano can be challenging, but not so much that it will ruin your day. I’m a seasoned pianist, and over the years I’ve developed some of my own methods for getting started with this wonderful instrument. Hopefully this can assist you guys on your road to progression in your studies of playing jazz piano. Enjoy!
First of all, in regard to playing jazz piano, what is a “chord” you ask? Simply put, a chord is simply a group of notes that can be played at the same time. There are two types of chords: major and minor. We’ll discuss those in a moment.
So, as a beginning player, what should you start to learn about playing this lovely genre of music? Well, like most things, starting off with the easier songs will get you headed in the right direction. To learn jazz piano, and begin really mastering this lovely art form, you’ll need to pick up a couple of easy jazz songs first. Once you understand the basics of playing a chord, you can move on to more advanced territory. Here’s an example:
This is the common chord progressions “roads and brooks” which can be learned in any good lesson guide on how to learn jazz piano. This song is a great place to begin as it will help you to learn both how to change chords, and apply common chord progressions to other songs. So, what are the key points of this song? It uses the G, C, D Major and F note progressions.
Next up is one of my favourite songs: Joe Pass’ Mystic Nocturne. Again, this song will help you to master chord progressions, by spending time on identifying and knowing the difference between open and closed chords (and the names of the chords). Once you know this, you can move onto learning how to name the chord progressions: CAGED.
Now, we’ve covered some chord progressions that you can begin to learn to play jazz piano. But, there are some important tips to remember when first starting out. The first is that you shouldn’t memorise all the chords and be able to quickly switch from one chord to another. Instead, spend some time focusing on understanding each note and making sure you use it in various situations.
One way to really surprise people with your playing is to spend time memorising the chord progressions. Once you can do that, then spend time experimenting and expanding upon that. Don’t get stuck on a certain chord progression, because as you progress as a player, you’ll come across new things. This means that you’ll be able to quickly shift from one style to another.
Finally, be patient. Playing Jazz piano does not happen overnight, and taking your time is a key to getting better. Don’t expect to see results overnight, even if you are working hard at it. What you want is to see gradual improvements over time. With a little effort, you can learn to play some great jazz tunes, in no time at all!
When learning the basics, you will need to have good technical skills to be able to produce a consistent sound. For example, to produce a major chord, use rootless voicings. Rootless voicings simply mean that you don’t have to find the exact middle C to make a major chord; the root is the notes that are directly underneath the chord you are playing.
Learning Jazz piano requires you to have an understanding of sheet music, chord progressions, and finger placements. If you don’t have this technical information, you can still learn to play great Jazz because you have a coach or mentor who can show you how to use these concepts. They may start by showing you some basic sheet music and chord progressions so that you understand what you are doing correctly.
Finally, it is important to practice. Even if you are playing at home, you have to go to class because you will not have the same support you would get at a real studio. Also, having a mentor in your corner will make it easier because he or she will teach you the right ways to apply the theory of rootless voicings to create the tunes you want. If you have all these skills, then you should be able to answer the question “Is Jazz Piano Easy?”
How to Play Jazz Piano?
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- Listen to Jazz
So this next lesson wants to talk about how to listen to Jazz music. But first, let us first answer a previous related question: why should we listen to Jazz? People can listen to Jazz for a variety of reasons: for fun; to challenge them and push them outside of their comfort zones; as an instructional learning experience; and/or as a general inspiration to add to your playing. In fact, jazz is one of few musical genres that has been constantly evolving over the past century and a half. And while jazz music is very diverse, there are some basic common elements in all styles of jazz. Some examples of these common elements are: melodic improvisation, free style improvised music, lyrical precision, rhythmic detail, and a sense of personal expression through soloing and group playing.
Melodic improvisation, or jazz piano as it is often called, is an essential component of all styles of music. In short, it is ‘ripped up’ guitar Improv rhythm. For example, if you listen to a Jazz piano solo piece, you’ll hear the guitarist improvising, then the piano player playing a repeated pattern or broken chord over. The beauty of this is that the listener is not forced to play along with the music. They have a choice. If they choose not to listen, then they listen to a piece of Jazz piano that contains a melodic improvisation.
Free style improvising is also similar to what we’ve just described above. However, it differs because the listener is not compelled to play a pattern. Instead, he/she chooses to improvise on the spot, ad-libitiously. This way, the listener gets the benefit of being in the moment while the piano player takes their lead by playing a solo passage in the background.
The advantages of learning jazz piano are many and broad. It broadens your musical horizons beyond the constraints of traditional genres such as Classical, Rock, Jazz, or Baroque. While it is more popular with improvisers, it appeals to classical piano players as well. This, of course, opens up a whole new range of repertoire for you.
For beginning students, a good place to start is to learn some of the most common scales and chords changes used in jazz. The most important jazz standards are C, D Major, G, A, E, and B. If you’ve never learned to play the A major or minor chords, start with them. It’s important to remember that you don’t need to memorize each chord change, but rather simply learn to play them in both positions. This will make your practice time a lot less tedious and a lot more productive.
Another benefit of learning a few basic jazz ear exercises is that it gives you a starting point when you start improvising. Improvising is simply playing a chord change in place of a melody. This can be a long or short chord progression, or just a change in rhythm. For improvisers, the idea is to keep playing the same melody (a chord change) at the same key (A), but change the melody (chord change) by changing rhythm. Jazz guitarists often think of themselves as being “melodic” instead of “composition” makers. Improvisation is the process of making music with your ensemble, instead of playing the same melody over in a different key.
Once you understand and start listening to jazz piano, you’ll quickly begin to notice some rhythmic structure in the tunes you’re hearing. This is your first step into listening to jazz piano. Listening to the melody, the beat, and the rhythm will help you determine whether your scales are off, or if the scale you’re playing doesn’t fit the song. You need to play along with the melody and not rely on your memory to recall what the lyrics mean. This will make your ear work more quickly.
Lastly, one of the best benefits of learning to listen to jazz piano is that it will help you become a better listener. Many great jazz musicians started as solo artists. They found that their improvisational abilities could lead them to greater success as musicians. Listen to their solos and you’ll see how much time they spent practicing and working with their pianos. They knew how to play their instrument as well as they understood the importance of listening to their audience.
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- Take Good Quality Jazz Piano Lessons
Take Good Quality Jazz Piano Lessons and Improve Your Jazz Playing. Improvising your jazz playing can be fun. The most important thing to remember when you are learning to improvise is listening. Listening to jazz music will help you develop your ear to the music and will help you understand where your mistakes are and how to correct them when they do happen.
The first step is to get a real jazz guitar. The best kind to start with is a nylon string acoustic. This is because it absorbs all of the vibrations that a real guitar would produce as well as the notes. When you first start out you want to spend more time concentrating on hearing and recognising the notes so that you can play easy jazz music. Practice this over until it comes natural to you, after which you can try some more advanced styles.
Learning Jazz Piano Books is a good idea before learning jazz piano. There are many excellent books out there that have been written by very successful jazz musicians and singers. These books are aimed at teaching you all of the basics so that you can start improvising jazz piano songs straight away. They will also include a lot of detail and practice exercises so that you get an excellent head start on your development as a musician. Most of these books are available through jazz music schools or learn from home tutors.
Practice alone. It is so much easier to learn a piece of music if you don’t have any other people around to disturb you, plus practicing alone is so much cheaper than hiring a private tutor. Just get your favorite jazz guitar, practice with it for a while until you can play simple tunes, then buy your own book on improvising in jazz playing. Practice scales and chords first on your own. If you get stuck, look up YouTube for tutorials on scales and chords. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will be with navigating the fret board.
Take Good Quality Jazz Piano Lessons. Some books that you can buy will not give you any real improvisation tips, but they usually teach you how to play popular songs using mostly notes and chords, which are nice. I would recommend listening to the song first and then trying to imitate the progression. If you can play the progression accurately, then try improvising it. However, I would recommend listening to a real band perform the song so you can hear how the band interchanges their rhythms and chord changes.
Learn a few blues scale patterns. Most people learn their scales with the help of a guide, such as scales for beginners, but I personally think that a lot of music theory can be applied to a jazz setting just as easily as a blues tune. So if you really want to improvise, then you need to know a few blues scale patterns. It may be best to start with a few scales that you can comfortably play, and then as you get more comfortable, you can move on to the other ones.
Listen to Good Jazz Music. I believe that if you’re serious about learning how to play jazz well, then you should get some good jazz music CD’s to listen to while you study. Good jazz music can really make a big difference in your ability to practice, especially if you’re practicing late at night when everyone else around you is asleep.
Interplay All of Your Sources. Learning how to improvise also means learning how to interplay your parts (which is what separates good improvisers from great improvisers). For instance, I usually start by playing a melody (a phrase) then I’ll play the accompaniment. Sometimes I’ll play the accompaniment while the melody plays. Listen to as much jazz as possible, and try to identify where the lines intersect.
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- Learn Jazz Cycles
Are you interested in knowing how to improvise with jazz piano? What if I told you that you could learn to play a solo on top of the pentatonic minor scale in just a few short days? Well, you’re certainly not alone. As a matter of fact, thousands of people worldwide are trying to find out how to improvise with jazz piano. In this article, I will tell you what jazz piano is and why you should listen to jazz piano instead of pop or rock music.
What is Jazz Piano? Well, it is the process of learning the basics of playing a great jazz style using only scales and chords. This is done through memorisation. For example, you start off by learning a handful of scales which you can use to build your foundation.
So, what is so special about starting from a scale? Well, you can begin to improvise with jazz playing by simply starting with one scale. This is similar to starting from any other form of major or minor scale. You can then take each scale and learn all of its components separately. You can move from one chord to the next, simply by moving from one note to the next, in a similar way to when you learn jazz standards.
Why should you learn Jazz Piano? Well, the greatest benefit of learning jazz piano is that it is so easy to master. When you start to memorise the major and minor scales, it is extremely unlikely that you will get stuck in your learning process for very long. Just imagine being able to play jazz piano scale after scale, in one very short moment! If memory is your primary tool, then you are going to love learning jazz piano.
Now, I’m not going to spend too much time on the piano, as this is covered thoroughly in most Jazz Piano Learning Systems. However, I am going to talk about some of the benefits of learning more than just a few notes per chord. We often recommend listening to accompaniments for major and minor scale patterns. However, if you want to expand your horizons, there are plenty of free resources available on the Internet that provide excellent accompaniment options, such as chord charts and piano tab accompaniment. Furthermore, your instructor may suggest a particular accompaniment for you to learn.
One of the best things about Jazz Piano Lessons is that they encourage you to listen to great jazz musicians. If you do not have access to great jazz musicians, then it is still a very valid method of learning to play Jazz Piano. Just imagine being able to pick up your feet and confidently play a few simple bar chords! This will give you the confidence that you need to become far more accomplished when you start taking your lessons in more detail. It will also build your self-esteem, as the more you practice the better you will become.
If you take Jazz Piano Lessons, you will find that there are three main areas of focus in the course. These include: Improvise, reading music, and understanding chord progressions. The previous two topics will be covered in detail below. Before you go into these areas though, you should probably listen to some basic jazz piano songs. This will help to familiarize you with the keys and song structures, and prepare you to listen and learn accurately.
One of the most important things that I learned from taking Jazz Piano Lessons is how to improvise. Learning how to improvise is extremely valuable, as it will allow you to play jazz piano in a completely different style. What I mean by this is that you can create your own original music while you are playing the piano. For example, I play a blues scale, which is popular in the blues genre of music. I then choose certain notes from this scale and create my own original jazz style. You can listen to some examples of my improvised blues here.
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- Learn a Blues with Shell Voicings
Many musicians and newbie alike want to know how to play blues guitar, but they are intimidated by the theory and the complicated fingerings. They get nervous about their lack of skill and in the end they give up learning how to play the blues. Well you don’t have to be intimidated anymore. You can actually start playing the blues with shell voicings which is pretty cool when you think about it. When you finally understand the concept and you know how to get down the right notes, then that’s when you will start really enjoying playing this great instrument.
You see, all it takes is to learn a few simple things about playing the blues using shell notes. These little tricks can open up a whole new world of musical exhilaration. I’m going to show you exactly how to learn the blues with shell notes so you can start racking up big notes. It’s really easy once you get used to it.
The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to learn the blues with shell notes is, understand the shape of your hand. This is where most people go wrong. Most people don’t realize that a major chord can be formed with the index finger, the pinky and the middle finger. So instead of saying “how do I play the blues with my pinky finger” you can say, “oh yeah, I know, I just remembered, my index finger.” See that little trick?
The next thing you need to focus on is how to listen. When we listen to music we typically focus on the notes and the rhythm. You really need to learn how to listen to the rhythm and the notes because if you can listen to both of these then you can learn the blues with shell notes. This is crucial because we as players sometimes get so caught up on the notes that we can sometimes miss the rhythm.
So to learn how to learn blues with shell notes, make sure to listen to the rhythm. Pay attention to where the bass is and where the rhythm is. If you’re able to listen to both of these then you’ll have no problem learning how to play the blues.
Another important tip I can give you to learn how to learn blues with shell notes is, don’t play the chord all the way down the neck or the notes will come out the wrong way. Instead of playing the “B” note, for example, start off by playing a “E” chord. This way you’ll get the right notes and the right timing. Once you get good at this, move up the neck a bit so that you can start playing the “B” note and the “D” note simultaneously.
It’s very important to not think too much while you are learning how to play the blues with shell voicings. The more you think, the less likely you are to actually hear the sound that you are trying to create. So just keep the notes in your head and try to recreate them as best you can from memory. Of course, practice makes perfect so the more you practice, the better you will get. If you’re serious about how to learn the blues with shell voicings, then there are many books, online lessons, as well as personal instruction you can get.
However, if you’re a beginner, you might consider taking a few classes first. This way you’ll get the right direction while you learn the blues. Plus it will give you the chance to create your own unique style, which will be essential when you’re playing and singing. Plus it will allow you to meet others who have the same musical interests as you. When you’re finally able to strum those blues tunes, you’ll find that they come more easily and naturally, and you’ll be playing like a pro in no time!
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- Learn the Blues Scale
If you’re interested in learning the blues scale for guitar, then you’re definitely not alone! Jazz blues is simply that exciting sis fun to play over. But, when you might like jazz blues solos, it’s easy to quickly get stuck in a rut playing the very same old licks and scales in your licks. So one of the quickest and simplest ways to break out of that rut is to incorporate more chords into your single-note solos. Here’s how you do it.
For this method, you’ll need to learn the basic barre chord shape – A D and E G. Learn how to play these three chords by simply strumming on a simple twelve-bar blues pattern using your piano. For this exercise, use the top note of each barre chord – A D E G. This will be the basis of your soloing work. When you feel confident that you have these three chords memorized, you can change to a different exercise. For this exercise, use the second, third and fourth notes of each barre chord – A D E G. Again, this will be your base to your soloing work. This way, you can easily change to another exercise if you feel you need to. Once you have these three bars in your muscle memory, try playing a solo in the standard key of G, C, D, A or E.
Now try playing your solo in the key of G, C, D, A or E. At first, this may seem strange to those who are used to studying music theory. Try playing your solo in the Key of G, C, D, A or E using your left hand notes only. What you will notice is that the rhythm sounds well. Also, your fingering may need some fine-tuning. You will probably find it much easier to play the G and C notes with your right hand notes than the A and E notes.
Learning the blues scale will not only help you with improvised playing, but it also teaches you valuable lessons in rhythm, timing and rhythm guitar. The blues are considered to be one of the most popular music styles in the history of rock and roll. Learning the jazz scales will give you a huge advantage when it comes to improvisation.
Jazz piano can be studied using the blues form since there are so many variations of the melody. Every pianist knows the basic melody, which is made up of an A minor, G major, D major and B major. There are many other minor and major variations of this melody. The 12 bar form contains many variations as well. This means you will learn a lot about rhythm by studying the blues form.
If you want to learn the blues scale and learn how to improvise blues, you must first be able to read piano notes. You can do this by first learning how to read notes for the major and minor chords. Learn how to use the chord symbols on the piano by memorizing all of the symbols associated with each chord. Then, continue by practicing how to play each chord in the appropriate key (since all of them share the same notes).
After you have memorized how to read notes, you can move on to learning how to play the blues scale properly. This is done in the same way you learned how to read chords. You must start off by playing the A note, then stop, drop the tone to C and then start again. Keep playing this pattern over until you reach the Eb note, which is the end of the scale. Repeat the process once more to reach the E note.
Learning how to improvise a blues scale in this way is much like learning any other type of scales. The trick is to practice each scale pattern a number of times. Beginners may notice that this does not sound smooth at first. It will sound more smooth after you have mastered the patterns. In addition to being smooth, it will be easier for you to improvise as you progress through the beginner blues piano guide.
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- Learn “C Jam Blues”
C Jam is a popular form of urban dance which originated in the early 1990’s. Since then, it has grown significantly in popularity, making it an ideal learning choice for many novices. In this article I’ll show you how to learn C Jam so that you can play the game like a pro.
The most important thing when learning anything new is listening and absorbing information. This goes double for learning C. Jam so don’t neglect to listen to some of your favorite music. Jamming will be less effective if you don’t understand what you are doing. Make sure you have good timing, rhythm, and fluid movement in your C Jam song.
To learn crescendo or decrescendo, the beat should be at the peak of your hearing ability, before the sound fades out. Next, move your hands slowly down the keyboard, and do it in single, repeated steps. As you get more adept at playing, try playing one step again followed by another step. This will help you build coordination between your feet and fingers, as well as help you determine when to hold a chord or slip a note.
One of the hardest steps to grasp is stepping up an octave. It is best to start out on a scale, playing one step at a time. This will enable you to play all the scales from A-Z. Focus on using both hands and playing the scale as a whole, not just parts. As you improve, you can work your way up the keyboard quickly and efficiently.
You can learn the next step in the sequence by starting on the bongos, which are the next two notes in the scale. You can practice this step with a metronome, but be sure to stick with the metronome. Play the scale to the beats, focusing on the legato (the timing of each note) and not on hitting every single note. When you’re comfortable with this step, play one chord followed by another chord, all on the same beat.
Finally, move up to C. Jam up on this scale, using your four fingers. Make sure your left hand is lower than your right, so your wrists don’t lock. Play single chords followed by four chords, all on the same beat. Remember to use the rest of your fingers to provide a counter-rhythm.
If you want to learn how to play C juglin in the most efficient way, start with the basics and spend as much time as possible mastering these. Practice your scale as often as you can, even improvising a bit. Start with only the melody notes and the bass notes (if applicable). This way, when you have to go back and work on something, you already know how to play it. If you get stuck, ask a friend to help you out.
Learn how to play Jim Rigby’s “C” Jam in your right hand by following these steps. Make sure your left hand is lower than your right, so that your wrists don’t lock. Then play single chords, all on the same beat. Then play some “A” style backing tracks, using just the guitar, and improvise. This might help you to learn “” piano chords!
Keep in mind that what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. The most successful musicians are those who can perform any song fluently. That is why these techniques are not the “end all” technique for learning how to play C juglin. If you want to know how to play C juglin, make sure you take the time to practice this way. As stated above, what works for one person may not necessarily work for you. Keep trying new ideas and combinations as long as they produce good results.
Learn the “jig” part in C juggling by studying the following songs: “TAPS,” by America, “We Are the Champions,” by Rush, “Whole Lotta Love,” by Eric Clapton, and” Purple Haze,” by Pink Floyd. These songs, along with ” Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” are among the most well known of C juglines. These songs also contain some of the riddle elements that students will need to learn. When a student goes back and learns how to read the riddles in these songs, he or she will be ready to start learning the “jig” portion of C juglin.
The C jug line has been around for nearly a century. This means that there are many different versions of the original C chord that can be found throughout blues, rock, pop, country, and even gospel music. Therefore, no matter what type of music you listen to, chances are there is a C chord that you can learn to play. In fact, many artists specialize in covering the C chord in their songs. Learning how to read the C chord and master its basic rhythm will give you the musical edge over other guitarists.
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- Learn the “Jazz Arpeggio”
If you want to really impress your audience, you must learn the basic guitar techniques for the jazz arpeggio. This chord type is widely used by musicians, whether they are beginners or professionals. So, you will need to know some basics in order for you to be able to play this well.
The first thing that you should know is that there are three different chords that can be made with the A chord group. You can play the C chord when you place your fingers directly above the G and D chords. On the contrary, you can play the A chord when you place your fingers between the G and D chords. These are just simple things that you need to understand so that you can learn how to play the chord. Now that you have learned about these three chord groups, you can start learning about their extensions. By doing so, you will be able to understand what other chord can be done with them.
For you to learn how to play the arpeggio, it would be better if you could learn about chord progressions. Chord progressions will allow you to play a chord progression, which will be similar to an arrangement. This will make it easier for you to master the skill. If you want to do this, try to memorize some chord progressions. This can be done by looking at music sheets. In this technique, you can see how each chord is transformed to achieve the desired sound.
There are other methods that you can use so that you will be able to listen to the song properly. By hearing the song through headphones, you will be able to hear all the nuances of the notes that will be played. This will allow you to improve your ear for hearing the notes. You may also use a metronome if you are able to do so. You should also do some warm-up exercises before playing the actual song so that you will be able to feel the tempo and beat of the song.
If you have been able to learn the basic chords, there are more complex techniques that you can try in order to improve your arpeggio. The arpeggio can be achieved by using certain hand positions. You should know how to place your fingers on the keys so that you will be able to produce the right pitch. This is especially important if you have been spending too much time practicing on the keyboard instead of practicing on the guitar.
Arpeggios are created by using specific hand positions. When doing so, you must make sure that you use the right fingers for each chord. By doing this, you will be able to produce the notes of the chord properly. You may also try using some fingers other than your pinky and ring ones. You should not do this yet though because you should start with these two digits since they are the easiest to use.
Once you are able to produce the notes of a chord, you can learn to play a transition from one chord to another. Transitions are simple things that you should practice a lot. You should use them whenever you want to change from one note to another.
You might be wondering how you can actually learn the jazz arpeggio fast. Well, the best way for you to achieve your goal is to follow some online lessons and tutorials. You can simply search online and find the right tutorial that will teach you how to play the arpeggio fast. Keep in mind that these lessons will only be useful if you will actually apply what they say. With the right tutorials and lessons, you will be able to learn the techniques easily and effectively.
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- Combine The Jazz Arpeggio & The Blues Scale
One of the most basic concepts to master in learning to play the guitar is the blues scale. If you take just a little bit of time to learn how to play it well, it can be a great addition to your arsenal. There are many ways to learn it and the best way for you may not necessarily be the easiest. So, how do you combine the Jazz Arpeggio And The Blues Scale?
Well, the basic idea behind the blues scale is to learn all the chord-building principals involved in playing the scale. This includes how to use the root note to build chords, how to use the white key notes to add variety and how to resolve the chord. You’ll also learn some important ideas about using the minor pentatonic scale to create some of your major chord progressions. But, before we get into that, first we need to get a little bit of understanding about what the blues scale is and why it works so well.
For the purposes of this lesson, we will focus on just the arpeggio, which is the vertical lines that run from top to bottom of the scale. Think of it as the lines on a car title. Each arpeggio is basically a letter of the musical score that corresponds to the chord. (We’ll cover arpeggios in more detail in another lesson.)
As you learn how to use the blues scale to create your own individual style of jazz guitar music, you’ll find that the arpeggio can give you an excellent starting point. Notice how I said ‘starting point’? Because once you’ve learned how to use the arpeggio in your playing, you’ll want to use it a lot. Remember, the arpeggio in the minor pentatonic scale is a building block for all sorts of other ideas. So, when you hear a song like “I’m a Believer” by Rod Stewart, remember how amazingly funky it is just by using the minor pentatonic scale on the arpeggio. When you hear a song like that, you might even think about switching keys and changing chords, but instead you’ll stick with the same arpeggio pattern and use that as a foundation for many other songs.
You can certainly try to mix the blues scale with the arpeggio in other songs, but that will change the simple idea that is the basis of the scale. Blues guitarists know their scales and they use them extensively in their playing. Jazz guitarists, because of the different scales they can play, need to use the minor pentatonic scale as their foundation and then build off of that.
If you take a look at some of the great guitarists who influenced you as a player, you’ll find John Coltrane, Robert Johnson, Charlie Parker, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Those are players who played a variety of blues and arpeggios, using a variety of ragtime, blue-eyed white, rock-and-roll blues, roll-core blues, free jazz, and free-form blues. And each of those players played very differently, but they all had one thing in common. They all used the minor pentatonic scale.
For most guitarists, the blues are the foundation of jazz. That’s why so many great jazz musicians started out learning to play the blues. Even after they became professionals, they continued to use the blues as a source for new ideas. Some of the greatest guitarists in history, like Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton, and Buddy King, didn’t start playing a particular style of blues until they were significantly more experienced. And they never stopped playing it.
So if you’re interested in learning to play the blues, learn the major and minor pentatonic scales. Then jam with some experienced blues guitarists to create new and innovative ways to use them. You’ll have a lot of fun. And you’ll have learned how to combine the two playing styles!
Conclusion
There are three things to remember when learning how to play jazz tunes. These three things are to find the melody, find the scale that will play the melody and the harmony. Finding the melody is quite easy as all you have to do is look for the basic factors of the song such as the bass notes, melody notes and the rhythm. Finding the scale will be a little harder as you have to think in terms of time signatures. Finally the harmony will be easier to work out as you will know the whole harmony already.